Ten Months

Baby J,

Here it is.  Another month has come and gone!  Time is flying by, and I am more and more anxious and excited...because I know that each day brings us closer to you!  This month has been a whirlwind of activity, fun, and our first beach vacation.  All our plans have kept our minds super busy.  This time last year, I just knew we would be headed to the beach with you in tow.  However, God has other plans!  I can't wait to see what they are.  So instead, we headed to the beach as a "Party of Two" and embraced every opportunity we could...just in case it was our last. 

We also spent our Memorial Day weekend at Pickwick with your aunts and uncles.  We are doing as  many last minute things as we can before we switch our roles to parents.  Your dad and I aren't known as "planners."  We get an idea that sounds fun, and we just go with it.  I know that as our family grows, we will need to plan better.  Ha!  Or maybe it's accurate to say we will need to plan a LOT better.  We are more than happy to plan for you!

You would have loved the beach, Baby J!  It was beautiful!  I watched so many families with their little ones playing under umbrellas or dipping their little toes in the water.  I noticed how different each child was, and it made me wonder what you would look like in your little swimsuit.  I daydreamed about how different our trip will be when you join the fun.  It will be a good different....the BEST kind of different I can imagine.  I prayed for you as I sat along the beach watching the waves rush over my feet.  I know that you are coming, and I pray that you feel the love so many have for you!  While we were gone, I noticed another placement on the agency's website.  I was so excited, because it has been a LONG time since I had seen one.  I am always encouraged when I can see things happening.  I can only imagine the joy that family feels this summer.  It will be a summer they will never forget!  Our time is coming.

It's hard to believe that it is June!  Wow!  Your dad and I celebrated our seventh anniversary this month.  I am so incredibly blessed that your daddy chose me!  Your daddy is a strong man.  He is the spiritual leader in our home.  He is compassionate, kind, and sensitive.  He makes me want to be a better person.  Everyone loves him...and his goofy comments, jokes, and interests.  He makes me laugh every day!  I just know you two will be best friends.  I am also fully prepared for your daddy to be "that dad."  You know, the one that waves a goofy wave and yells "I love you!" while dropping you off in the car line.  I'm fully prepared for him to knock on the car window with a huge smile when you are on a date just to remind you that he's there.  I'm fully prepared, and I want you to be too.  Hehe!  Try not to be embarrassed, because you will come to learn that he is the greatest person on this earth.  You will cry for him to hug you because he has the best hugs.  You will call him just to hear his voice because he always loves to talk.  You will ask him to tell jokes because they are incredibly corny!  You will want to be around him because he is so fun.  I am so grateful to be seven years blessed with a wonderful marriage!  I pray that you find a strong, Christian spouse that makes you laugh and feel special every day.  I pray that you listen to God as He guides you to that person.  I am praying for that person too...even though it will be a very very very very very long time before you even think about marriage!  Ha!  I am still praying for God to prepare that person to be your best friend and partner in life.

We have a couple more vacations planned this summer...unless you want to surprise us with your arrival.  We have another beach vacation in July with your dad's side of them family.  It is always fun to vacation with children...eight of them to be exact.  Well, I'm not sure we can call your older cousins children...one of them just got engaged!  Wow!  But, I can remember when they were definitely all children for sure.  Sometimes I wish time would just slow down for a minute, because I look and they are grown.  I'm sure I will only feel that feeling more and more as I watch you grow.  In August, we have another fun trip planned.  For their anniversary, your SuSu gave your grandaddy tickets for the whole family to see the American Idol tour in Nashville.  I'm very excited about seeing a few of my favorites: Skylar, Colton, and of course Philly Phil!  I wonder if American Idol will still come on by the time you are old enough to realize it...  I wonder if you will be a good singer...or a good dancer...or a ball player...  See how my mind wonders?!

I may not know many things about you right now, but there are a few things I know for certain.  I know that God has His hand all over your story.  I know that your dad and I already love you more than you will ever know.  I know that God loves you even more!  And I know that my heart will be overflowing with joy at the very sight of you...or at the very sound of our social worker letting us know about you.  I know that I will want to study every inch of you...your toes, your toenails, your fingers and fingernails, your elbows, your baby fat rolls, your little knees, and your little nose.  I will study your eyes and eyelashes.  I will run my fingers across your little bald head...unless of course you have a head full of hair.  I will shower you with kisses and I love you's.  I'm also pretty sure I will shower you with tears.  Get used to it.  I'm an emotional crier.  All these things I know for sure...yet so many I can't wait to learn!

As we inch closer to our one year update, I never stop thinking about and praying for you!  You are so very loved.  You are so very wanted.  You are so very special!  We cannot wait for you to share your life with us.  We are waiting...

I love you,
Mama